The Canadian Press

The Toronto Stock Exchange set new trading and financing records last year, a period when the market gained just under 31% in stock value.

Canada’s dominant stock exchange owner, TMX Group (TSX:X), said Wednesday that total financings raised $60 billion for companies, surpassing the previous record of $47.6 billion set in 2007.

Meanwhile, the total 2009 trading volume of 118.5 billion shares was higher than the previous record of 109.2 billion set in 2008.

A new record for transactions was also set in 2009: 191.3 million trades, compared with the previous record of 182.9 million.

Investors came back to the markets in late spring and helped push the TSX’s key index higher despite the recession. The rebound was led by rising oil, metal and commodity prices.

The total market value of stocks trading on the TSX jumped to nearly $1.8 trillion by the end of 2009, from under $1.3 trillion a year earlier.

“As we look to 2010, we are optimistic that the signs of economic recovery seen at the end of 2009 will continue and that organizations will turn to our markets to raise the capital required to fuel their growth,” said Kevan Cowan, president of TSX Markets and group head of equities.

“Our focus is to provide a strong, central, neutral and highly liquid marketplace to facilitate access to capital for companies of all sizes as they work to achieve their full potential.”

TMX Group operates the Toronto Stock Exchange, TSX Venture Exchange, Montreal Exchange, Natural Gas Exchange, Boston Options Exchange as well as other financial trading services.